IT and computers in PC
April 12th, 2006 by Snorko.Hello I am currently a PC nominee for the South Pacific. Any stories or advice on this location would be helpful, even though I know this may change. Mainly though, I would like to know if there are any current or former volunteers in the IT field in PC. What sorts of things do you do with IT in PC. Are computer labs already set up or do you go and set this up yourself? I’m sure much depends on your location but any stories relating to your experience would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
April 15th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
As a rural based volunteer, who pushed for a computer (IT) teacher for our gov’t district school in rural Savaii, I can tell you that every assignment is different. Here in Samoa, there are benefits to being an urban computer teacher/IT office worker as well as a rural based basiccomputer teacher. The biggest question you should ask is, would you rather live rural or urban? At least here in Samoa…Good luck…
April 25th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Hello, I am only 16 years old, and I am a Junior in Highschool. I very much want to join the peace corp after I take some college classes for a few years. I want to get involved in the field of computers so I plan on taking computer classes at whatever college I decide to go to. However, its the people in the rural areas that I would want to help the most. The problem with that is I have no prior knowledge/interest in the medical field and I dont think they need computers in places like Uganda for example. What should I do???
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:03 am
I have been nominated for computer services in the Pacific in September. Currently waiting on medical clearance and actual placement. I would be interested in any advice you have to offer.
June 6th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
To Question:
Since you’re still in high school you still have lots of time, you may find that you may want to go into a different field once in college. What I can say about Peace Corps from what I’ve seen so far is that every career area out there can fit into Peace Corps; this is the great thing about it. I graduated from college with an IT degree, and I will be teaching computers. You don’t need a medical background to work in an area unless you are working in the medical field in PC. PC will give you any info about the region you are going. And like Zuckerwoman stated before and what I’ve found out is that it really all depends on where you are going. If you have an interest in working with computer in PC in a rural area then make sure to tell your recruiter that. Once thing that I will recommend that you do, that I wish I had known before applying to Peace Corps is that if you want to go or be eligible for any country that speaks French or Spanish you need two college level semesters worth of these languages. And being someone that graduated in IT, lets just say computer languages I got, foreign I didn’t. So, I automatically cut myself off from those countries. Just a thought to keep in mind. Good Luck!
June 6th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Mickie,
Keep me posted as to which island you go, it would be interesting to find out. From my readings on the Peace Corps site, it looks to me like the most likely places in the Pacific for computer oriented positions are Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu. But your guess is as good as mine.
June 7th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Hey Mickie, I too am waiting for medical clearance to serve in the pacific as an IT guy, when’d you send in your medical forms? i sent mine in may 3rd, still waiting…